Ownership and Administration. First Reformed
Church of North Tarrytown.

Significance. This church, a distinguished
relic of Dutch America, is notable for its architectural and historical
associations with colonial life on the Hudson. The exact date of
construction is not known, but it was probably between 1697 and 1699.
Frederick Philipse I, Lord of Philipsburg Manor, erected the church for
his tenants. The congregation had organized by 1697, when a pastor
assumed his duties and the building was dedicated.

The first significant changes in the church occurred
during the War for Independence, when the special pews of the Lords of
the Manor were removed, and high-backed, soft-pine pews were substituted
for the plain oak tenant benches. In 1837, the building was struck by
lightning and partially destroyed, and certain alterations resulted.
Around 1840, the congregation built a new church in Tarrytown to serve
as a branch of the old one, and after the Civil War it came to replace
the original structure as the place of regular worship. From that time
on, the Sleepy Hollow Church has been used only for occasional services
and special programs.

Dutch Reformed (Sleepy Hollow)
Church, New York, is a notable reminder of Dutch influence in colonial
America. In the late 17th century, Frederick Philipse I, Lord of
Philipsburg Manor, erected the church for his tenants. It was an active
church until after the Civil War.

Present Appearance. A partial restoration of
the interior of the churchbeams, quartered oak ceiling, and
pulpitwas undertaken prior to the bicentennial observance; this
corrected much of the 1837 alteration. The interior is barren of
decoration and somewhat bleak in character. However, the charm of the
original design remains, and the building and grounds are carefully
maintained by the congregation of the First Reformed Church, which owns
the property. The adjacent burial ground is also well kept. Included
among the graves is that of Washington Irving, who perpetuated the name
of "Sleepy Hollow" for the church. The church is open to the public only
on special occasions. [50]